Note: this is a spoiler-free advance review of the third and final episode of Aquaman: King of Atlantis, which debuts on HBO Max on Thursday, October 28. If you need a refresher on where we left off, check out our reviews for "Chapter One: Dead Sea" and "Chapter Two: Primordeus."
DC fans could never accuse Aquaman: King of Atlantis of overstaying its welcome. The mini-series takes its final bow after just three 45-minute episodes – and while "Chapter Three: Tidal Shift" doesn't necessarily address the flaws of the previous two episodes, it is a fun and and ultimately satisfying conclusion to this wacky DC series.
Last week's "Primordeus" set the stage for the final battle, as Ocean Master and Pyotr Mortikov join forces for the ultimate tag-team threat to Atlantis. Those hoping for the former to finally be treated as a major antagonist rather than a joke-y supporting character may be disappointed by the finale. Ocean Master continues to be an amusing addition to the cast (particularly thanks to some top-notch voiceover work from Dana Snyder), but this is very much an Aquaman vs. Mortikov rematch.
Neither of the previous two episodes were particularly plot-heavy, and in some ways that remains the case here. "Tidal Shift" leans primarily on action scenes, with nearly all of this episode focused on the titanic final battle between good and evil. That single-minded approach does tend to become slightly exhausting by the end. This is the one episode of the series that probably could have been shortened to a more traditional 22 minutes and not lost much.
On the other hand, that action-oriented approach really allows the show's distinct animation style to shine like never before. The bright colors, exaggerated characters, and fluidity of motion all combine to form a very gorgeous piece of superhero animation. The action may wear on, but at least the scale of the battle continuously grows over the course of 45 minutes. By the end, Aquaman literally holds the fate of the world in his hands, and the animation truly sells the gravity of the situation. Not every show can so deftly balance silly and somber like King of Atlantis.
It's also worth mentioning that while the series seemingly showed little interest in mining the depths of Aquaman's rogues gallery in past episodes, the finale makes it clear a major villain has been hiding in plain sight all along. It's still a shame this story doesn't venture outside Aquaman's personal toybox and into the wider DC Universe, but we can always hope for a possible second season to cast a wider net (no pun intended).
Where "Tidal Shift" truly excels is in capping off a clear and meaningful character arc for its lead hero. As mentioned in an earlier review, the lack of a tangible arc for Arthur Curry is the biggest weakness of the live-action movie. The movie never makes it clear what Aquaman wants or what he has to sacrifice to achieve it. The animated series is a completely different story. This episode hinges on the fact that Aquaman is desperate to prove himself a good king and win the respect of his subjects. It pushes him to his absolute limits to achieve that goal. As much as this series may draw inspiration from the DCEU, the Aquaman movies could also learn a thing or two from this zany, lovable incarnation of the character.